MCU14/0106 Submission PM Object - John Havilah

Subject: Submission re Civic
From: havilah
Date: 2015-07-29T05:07:29+00:00
To: Mailbox Council Mail

Noosa Book Shop
Suntop Plaza
Sunshine Beach Rd
Noosa Junction
29th July 2015

The General Manager
Noosa Council
Tewantin

I would like to make this submission re the proposed further development 
of Noosa Civic.
My concern is that an expanded Civic will undoubtedly lead to a further 
decline in amenity provided by the Noosa Junction shopping precinct.
Noosa Book Shop has been trading in the junction for over 30 years. Our 
figures shows that there was one unequalled, dramatic downturn in 
business that
coincided with the opening of The Civic. I know that most other (if not 
all) businesses in The Junction at the time were similarly affected. 
Another increase in the Civic
will inevitably mean another decrease at The Junction. You already know 
how many empty shops there are at The Junction, how many more will 
become vacant before this
part of Noosa becomes completely unattractive to tourists and visitors?
I have been a retailer most of my life, first in Pharmacy and now in the 
book trade. I have also been on Council in Manly, Sydney and, with all 
respect to our current Councillors,
most Councillors have little understanding of the problems of smaller 
retailers. If a developer comes along with a proposal that could mean a 
hefty increase to Council's coffers
then that proposal can be very hard to knock back.
Supposedly competition leads to better service and to a point this is 
true. However it is also true that the amount of disposable income 
available in Noosa must have a finite limit and
when spread too thinly over far too many businesses the result for most 
will be a loss of vibrancy and an actual lowering of service.

John Havilah
Home address 25 Seamount Quay, Noosaville
54742305